Chapter 6
Chen Liuchi didn't expect that Shen Maoyuan would actually notice Cen Zhao.
He thought for a few seconds and replied, "It's the forensic doctor involved in the bar case, Cen Zhao."
She’s also my crush, he added in his heart.
"Why do you keep staring at him?"
Shen Maoyuan rarely showed interest in the sedimentation pool. It would be wrong to say that he was interested. To be more precise, he cared a little bit.
Why does Shen Maoyuan care about Cen Zhao?
Shen Maoyuan narrowed his eyes slightly and glanced at him sideways: "He has been looking at you."
Chen Liuchi's mouth moved subconsciously, but no words came out. After a few seconds, he said dryly: "After all, we have met before, so we are acquaintances."
Shen Maoyuan remained noncommittal: "Go and say goodbye to your acquaintances. We are going back."
Chen Liuchi had no choice but to bite the bullet and said, "I have to send Cen Zhao back first."
Shen Maoyuan frowned. "Why would you send him off if you have nothing to do? Can't he just walk on his own?"
Chen Liuchi had no choice but to tell Shen Maoyuan what happened from the bar to the hospital and then to the police station. At the end, he glared at Shen Maoyuan and said, "If you have anything to say, wait until we get home and talk. I won't argue with you outside."
Shen Maoyuan closed his eyes and exhaled lightly: "I know, you drive him away, I'll go home and wait for you."
Chen Liuchi and Shen Maoyuan chatted for quite a while. When they returned, the restaurant had already delivered the food. Cen Zhao was placing lunch boxes at each seat. When he saw Chen Liuchi come in, he waved at him and said, "Want to eat? Fish-flavored shredded pork. It smells pretty good to me."
Chen Liuchi shook his head: "I have to go home for dinner today. Do you have anything else to do? If not, I'll take you home first."
Cen Zhao observed Chen Liuchi's expression. He was just far away and was not sure whether the two brothers had an argument, but Shen Maoyuan left a very deep impression on people, especially his serious expression. It seemed that he scolded Chen Liuchi like a depressed puppy.
But he was an outsider after all. No matter what the reason was for the unpleasantness between Chen Liuchi and the other man, Cen Zhao was not qualified to comment on it. Pretending that nothing had happened was the only way to avoid embarrassment and leave room for maneuver.
"I was just about to tell you."
Cen Zhao took out the last of his lunch boxes and helplessly spread his hands towards Chen Liuchi. "The appraisal center is in a hurry to get a report out, so I've been drafted and have to work overtime here. I've even ordered my own lunch."
Chenliuchi was a little skeptical. Is this such a coincidence?
"Then how do you get back?" he asked.
After he said that, he remembered that Cen Zhao's house seemed to be only one street away from the city.
"What about your phone? How are you going to get it?"
Cen Zhao pointed upstairs and said, "Wait until Zeng Baoguo is done with his work, and then we'll go over there together."
Seeing that Chen Liuchi didn't seem to believe him, he smiled helplessly and said, "I really wasn't lying to you. I just received a call from the appraisal center. The only downside to living close to work is that they always think of you first when there's work to do."
Seeing that Cen Zhao didn't look fake, Chen Liuchi nodded and said, "Then remember to accept my friend request when you get back."
Cen Zhao smiled and said leisurely, "Of course, it took a lot of effort to get Boss Shen's number, so I definitely won't forget it."
Chenliuchi reminded again: "Remember to spray your arms."
Cen Zhao nodded and promised, "I'll send you photos after the spraying, and Boss Shen can check them at any time."
Chenliuchi continued to think, "Then... shall we meet at the harbor next Saturday?"
Cen Zhao didn't nod this time. He looked at Chen Liuchi, his tone hinting at a smile, but his gaze was fixed, looking at him seriously. "Next Saturday... seems a bit far away, Boss Shen, can't you meet me in the meantime?"
Chen Liuchi lowered his eyes, not letting the smile in his eyes show too obviously.
"OK."
"Boss Shen is willing to meet with you at any time."
Chen Liuchi's words were sincere, not only making Cen Zhao happy, but also making him laugh all the way back home. Although he felt a little embarrassed after realizing it, it wasn't much. When it comes to love, you can't be too proud.
The Shen family's residence was some distance from the Municipal Bureau, near the Seaside Boulevard. As soon as the car reached the Ring Road, traffic jams started to form. There were already many people visiting the sea on weekends, and with the Sailing Festival approaching, the number of tourists was about to double.
The phone vibrated. Chen Liuchi glanced at the caller and picked up the phone: "Mom."
Zhang Ning should be in the kitchen right now. She could hear the sound of the range hood. "Second brother, Shrimp, do you want spicy or garlic today?"
"I can do anything."
Seeing the traffic light in front start to flash red again, Chen Liuchi simply pulled the parking brake: "Brother is going back?"
"Just got home." Zhang Ning smiled. "He remembered that you like to eat shrimp, so he bought you a really big one. He even asked for some beef. It's rare to see him make demands on food."
Chen Liuchi muttered to himself, "Is this the last meal of the Hongmen Banquet?" He tentatively asked Zhang Ning, "Brother, what are you going back for?"
Zhang Ning said, "Wash your hands, change your clothes, and help your dad fix the grape trellis. What's wrong?"
Sounds pretty normal.
Chen Liuchi shook his head: "It's okay, I'm almost there too, twenty minutes."
Due to a miscalculation, it was half an hour later that the car drove into the yard.
As soon as he entered the yard, he saw Shen Maoyuan wearing a T-shirt standing on a ladder repairing a grape trellis. There were two girls standing under the ladder, both of whom were strangers, holding the ladder for Shen Maoyuan.
Seeing a car coming in, the two girls subconsciously made way, but Shen Maoyuan didn't move. She shouted in the direction of the car, "Come and help."
"I'm coming." Chen Liuchi parked the car and took off his jacket, muttering to himself that Shen Maoyuan would always look for help, but he still ran over and held the ladder for the two girls. "I'll do it. You girls don't have much strength."
The two girls looked at each other, and one of them, wearing a sunhat, smiled towards the sinking pond: "You're not a tourist?"
The Shen family's yard is close to the sea. It was fine in the early years because everyone knew that the independent courtyards here were private residences. However, with the development of tourism in recent years, the scope of scenic spots has become larger and larger. Several independent courtyards on the coastal side were almost included in the scenic area. It has become commonplace for tourists to accidentally enter.
Chen Liuchi was a little annoyed by strangers constantly barging into his house, but he still said politely, "I'm staying here. The scenic area is about two or three hundred meters south along this road. There should be fewer people there at this time than in the morning."
The girl naturally understood his implication and said embarrassedly, "The coastal road is a bit roundabout, so we wanted to take a shortcut."
Upon hearing this, Chenliuchi opened the navigation and pointed out a shorter route for the two of them, preparing to see them off and close the door.
"that……"
The girl in the hat looked up at the sinking pond, pursed her lips, hesitated for a second, and blushed a little. "Hey, you're a local, right? Can you add me on WeChat? We're new here and don't know much about the attractions here. Can you recommend some to us?"
Chenliuchi didn't make any excuses and refused directly: "It's not very convenient, but I know a friend who is a tour guide and I can recommend it to you."
The girl was a little disappointed, but then she tentatively glanced at Shen Maoyuan, who had been silent on the ladder. However, she was quickly pulled aside by the little sister next to her. She shook her head in disapproval and whispered, "That's a bit fierce."
Chen Liuchi pretended not to hear and sent the two out of the hospital while holding back his laughter.
After watching the people walk away, Chen Liuchi dug out the "Do Not Disturb" sign from under the mailbox and hung it up again. Then he closed the iron gate and returned to the yard: "Didn't I tell you to keep the sign up? Dad took it down again."
Shen Maoyuan tightened the wires between the wooden frames, handed the pliers to the sinking pond, and climbed down the ladder himself. "Dad said it's okay to have a few tourists come in. They're mostly asking for directions or buying water. There's no need to keep the door closed. It's so congested."
Chen Liuchi frowned, clearly disagreeing. "Didn't someone walk their dog without a leash and walk in before? The big dog almost bit someone, so why didn't you say anything? And you've caught petty thieves more than once."
Shen Maoyuan patted his shoulder: "I've told the security office, they will pay more attention to this area."
"Or," he glanced at the sinkhole, "you could move back in? You're not too busy with your work right now anyway."
That's not necessary, Chen Liuchi shook his head. Adult men need their own private space, and he can only admire the old couple's schedule of getting up at six and going to bed at nine.
"Why don't you move? Are you dating someone?"
Shen Maoyuan changed the subject: "That forensic doctor surnamed Cen, isn't he just an acquaintance we've met?"
What is coming must come. Chen Liuchi exhaled lightly and tried to be calm and composed: "Yes, I like him very much. What's wrong?"
There was no expression on Shen Maoyuan's face, but the more calm he was, the more unsettling it made people feel.
Chen Liuchi pulled him: "Don't argue with me, I still want to eat well."
Shen Maoyuan looked at Chen Liuchi's face. He was seven years older than Chen Liuchi. When he first met Chen Liuchi, the child was only the size of his arm. Now the child has grown up, but Shen Maoyuan still looks at him like a child.
What's more, something like that happened before.
Shen Maoyuan is wary of, or rather, hostile to, anyone who approaches the sinking pool.
"elder brother--"
Chen Liuchi noticed the change in Shen Maoyuan's eyes and dragged out his voice, it was hard to tell whether it was a threat or a flattery: "I am twenty-seven years old, not seventeen, and you promised me that what happened is in the past, you can't generalize."
Shen Maoyuan exhaled slowly, his tense and cold face finally relaxing a little, but only slightly. He looked at Chen Liuchi, frowning in confusion and disapproval: "Why do you have to like men? Can't you find a girl?"
Chen Liuchi smiled upon hearing this. It was a somewhat sarcastic and indifferent smile, which was not out of place on Shen Liuchi's face. With such a deep look, he would appear unapproachable and quite aggressive if he turned cold. "Don't have a gender filter. Perverts don't distinguish between men and women."
Shen Maoyuan choked: "Is this what I'm talking about?"
He moved his lips, trying to get back to the topic, when he heard a knock on the window on the first floor of the villa. Zhang Ning opened the window from the inside: "It's time for dinner. Is the grape trellis repaired?"
Chen Liuchi took advantage of the situation and immediately ended the conversation, pulling Shen Maoyuan towards the house: "I'll be right there." As he walked, he reminded Shen Maoyuan: "Don't tell your parents, and don't check on Cen Zhao, do you hear me?"
Shen Maoyuan was very unhappy about being 'coerced' by his brother. He sneered, "It's a matter of no consequence. What's there to say?"
Chen Liuchi really wanted to punch his brother. What did he mean by "there is not a single stroke in the eight characters"? It was obviously very well written, with many strokes. If he tried harder, maybe he would be able to write an eight-character horoscope the next time they met.
But maybe it was Shen Maoyuan's bad mouth that was to blame, but after dinner until the evening, Cen Zhao still hadn't accepted Chenliuchi's friend invitation.
Chen Liuchi held his phone and waited all night. The next morning, he drove to the municipal police station with dark circles under his eyes to wait for someone. He was told that Forensic Doctor Cen and Deputy Captain Zeng had gone to the county police station to handle a case and would probably take two or three days to come back.
Shen Maoyuan sat in the passenger seat and said sarcastically, "You two have known each other for half a month and you still can't add each other's contact information. You two are probably not destined to be together."
Upon hearing this, Chen Liuchi finally couldn't help but punched him: "Shut up!"
After beating my brother, I have to send him to work overtime.
After sending Shen Maoyuan to Yinhe, Chen Liuchi resolutely refused the invitation to work overtime upstairs. Shen Maoyuan slammed the car door loudly, and Chen Liuchi took the opportunity to extort money for car repairs.
Watching Shen Maoyuan walking away with his head down, Chen Liuchi sat in the driver's seat and laughed, then sighed. He took out his mobile phone, opened WeChat and took a look. It was so quiet.
But this melancholy didn't last for more than two minutes before my phone vibrated and a text message came in, and it was actually a photo MMS.
Chenliuchi was stunned for a moment, then clicked on the message. After a few seconds of loading, a photo appeared, showing an arm with ointment applied.
The photo is followed by the message:
[Boss Shen, please check.]
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